Advertising device.



W. B. MATHEWSON.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1913.

Patented Jan. .6, 1914.

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W. B. MATHEWSON.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1913.

1,083,549. Patnted Jan. 6, 1914.

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I l l J- I UNITED STATES PATENT GFEFI CE.

WILFRED B. MATHEWSON', OF NORTH WEYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK LAWRENCE BLOOD, OF GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

Application filed September 2, 1913. Serial No. 787,579.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILFRED B. MATHEW- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at North VVeymouth, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Advertising Devices, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to advertising devices of that type which are adapted to successively display cards bearing advertisements and it has particular reference to an advertising device of the general type shown in United States Patent No. 619,301, dated February 14, 1899, to T. Hansen. The device shown in the above-mentioned patent comprises a frame supporting an endless track which is arranged to present vertical card-displaying portions and horizontal transfer portions, a plurality of display elements each bearing an advertisement, said display elements being divided into two sets, one set normally occupying each of the trans fer portions of the track, and means to transfer the various elements singly and successively from one transfer portion of the track to the other through the card displaying portion, the arrangement being such that each display element is visible while itis thus being transferred. The device shown in such patent for thus effecting the transfer of the individual display elements from one set to the other, comprises an endless chain device which is adapted to take the end display element of each set from its transfer portion of the track and carry it through the card-displaying portion of the track into the other transfer portion of the track, and a transferring device adapted to engage each display element as it is received in a transfer port-ion of the track and move it together with all the other elements in said transfer portion a distance equal to the thickness of one element, such element operating to push the end display element of the set from the transfer portion into position to be engaged by the endless chain. In said patented device the end display element of either set is restrained from being carried into the card-displaying portion of the track simply by a spring stop device and it has been found in practice that this spring stop device is not always reliable in its operation. and as a result it sometimes happens that two'display elements will be carried from the horizontal transfer portion of the track into the vertical card-displaying portion at the same time.

My present invention relates particularly to a pick-ofi device designed to take each element positively from the horizontal transfer portion of the track and deliver it to the vertical card-displaying portion of the track and also to prevent the possibility of more than one display element being transferred at the same time. I have also improved other features of the device, all as will be more fully hereinafter described and then pointed out in the appended claims.

Since my present invention is in the na ture of an improvement on said Patent No. 619,301, I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate in this application an advertising device in complete detail but have simply shown a sufficient portion of such a device as is illustrated in said Patent No. 619,801 to enable my present invention to be understood. I would also add that in the accompanying drawing I have merely shown a selected embodiment of my invention which is illustrative of the principle thereof.

Figure 1 shows a side View of an advertising device embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a view of the inner side of the end frame of the device which is shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line ww, Fig. 2; Fig. at is an enlarged detail View showing the stop device at the juncture of the card-displaying and transfer portions of the track; Fig. 5 is a detail showing the manner in which the display elements are transferred from the card-displaying to the transfer portion of the track; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the pick-off device.

The complete machine will comprise two similar end frames 1 (only one of which is shown in the drawing) that are spaced apart a distance equal to the length of the display elements, said end frames being connected in any suitable way as by means of cross bars 2. Each end frame has on its inner face an endless track herein shown as in the form of a groove and each endless track is formed to present two vertical card-displaying portions 3 and two horizontal transfer portions 4, all as shown in said patent.

The card-displaying elements 6 are constructed as illustrated in said patent, that is, each comprises a frame adapted to support a card or other advertising bearing element and provided with projections 5 at its ends that are adapted to be received in the endless track. These displaying elements 6 are arranged in two sets or groups A and B, one set being supported in one of the transfer portions 4 of the track and the other set being supported in the other transfer portion 4 of the track. There will preferably be enough of these elements in each set to practically fill the transfer portions of the track.

As stated above, and as shown in said patent, means are provided for transferring each display element 6 singly from one transfer portion of the track to the other transfer portion through the card-displaying portion 3, the construction being such that the display element is Visible during such transfer, so that the advertisement which it bears can be read. This transfer is effected by two endless chain devices 7, one operating on each end frame 1, said endless chain devices passing over guide pulleys 8 and being driven by sprocket wheels 9 fast on a shaft 10 which shaft is in turn driven from a suitable motor 11.

These endless chains are provided with fingers or projections 12 and 13 which are adapted to engage the projections 5 of the display elements 6 and thus convey said elements from one set to the other, the con- 05 slruction being such that when one element is being conveyed on one side of the apparatus from the upper set A to the lower set B another element will be simultaneously conveyed on the opposite side of the frame .from the lowerset B to the upper set A, all

as shown in said patent.

I will preferably employ a driving mechanism which is adapted to give the endless chains 7 an intermittent motion and which is so designed that the chains are at rest at the time that the transfer of the display elements from the portion 4 of the track to the portions 3 of the track takes place. The driving mechanism will also preferably be 120 so arranged that each forward movement of the chains is just suflicient to carry each display element the length of the portion 3 of the track and the casing which incloses the apparatus may have display openings therein opposite the portions 4 of the track so that the display elements will be visible through said openings at each end of the portions 3 of the track. The driving mechanism may also be designed so that the dis- 130 play elements will remain at rest in front of the openings in the casing for any desired length of time.

The features as thus far described are in the main substantially like thecorresponding features of the aforementioned patent and form no part of the present invention.

In my present improvement I have provided a novel pick-off mechanism to positively effect the transfer of the elements 6 from each portion 4 of the track to the portion 3 thereof and this pick-off mechanism is so constructed that while it is operating to effect the transfer of the end display element of each set from the portion 4 of the track to the portion 3 it also operates to lock the remainingdisplay elements of either set in the track 4 so as to absolutely prevent the possibility of more than one display element being transferred at a single time.

The pick-off devices herein illustrated are in the form of oscillatory hooks 14 having a shape to engage the projections 5 of the display elements, said hooks during oscillation taking the end display element of each set and positively transferring it into the card-displaying portion 3 of the track and into position to be engaged'by the projections on the endless chains. I propose to employ two of these pick-01f devices on each end frame 1, one hook being situated on each end frame at the point where the transfer of the display elements from the lower portion 4 of the track to the vertical portion 3 is effected and the other being situated at the point where the transfer of the display elements from the upper horizontal portion 4 of the track to the other vertical portion 3 is effected.

Each pick-off hook 14 is shown as journaled in the end frame 1 for oscillatory movement and in the present construction I have shown each hook as made fast to a rotary stud or shaft 15 which is journaled in the end frame 1 and which has fast thereon a pinion 16 by which it is oscillated. The operation of these pick-0E hooks will be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 2. The arrows a in said figure illustrate the direction of movement of the endless chain 7. Each transfer portion 4 of the track is formed with the curved portion 17 at its end which merges into the vertical portion 3 of the track, the curved portion 17 having a radius of curvature corresponding to that of the path of movement of the hook 14. Fig. 2 shows the parts in their normal position before the transfer of the display elements is effected, from which figure it will be seen that the projection 5 of the end element stands in the path of movement of the hook 14, and also at the end of the curved portion 17 of the track. As the hook oscillates in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 2 it engages this projection 5 of the end display element and carries it up around the curved portion 17 of the track into the vertical portion of the track and into position to be engaged by the projections 12 of the chain as the latter is operated. The driving mechanism for the endless chains 7 will preferably be such that when this transfer of the end display element is effected, the chain 7 will be stationary and the projections 12 will be in position to receive the display element between them. During this oscillating movement of the pick-off hook, the back face 18 of the hook engages the projection 5 of the second display element and holds the latter and all of the display elements back of it in the portion 4 of the track and thus prevents the possibility of more than one element being transferred at a single time.

I will preferably provide means whereby the pick-off devices will work in unison so as to simultaneously effect the transfer of a display element from each portion 4 of the track to the corresponding portion 3 of the track. The device I have illustrated for operating the hooks comprises a reciprocatory actuator 19 operating in suitable guide-ways 20 on the frame and provided with rack teeth 21 that are adapted to engage the pinion 16 so that as the actuator 19 is reciprocated, the pinions 16 and the hooks 14 will be oscillated. I propose to give the member 19 this reciprocatory movement from the motor 11 and the construction herein shown for accomplishing this comprises a cam member 22 which is preferably operated intermittently by said motor 11 and which operates a link 23 connected to an elbow lever 24 mounted upon a shaft 25 extending across from one end frame 1 to the other. This elbow lever 24 is connected by a link 26 with another link 27 pivoted to the end frame at 28, said elbow lever 27 being in turn pivotally connected to the actuator 19 at 29. Vith this construction it will be seen that at each revolution of the cam 22 the actuator 19 will be given a complete reciprocation. As stated above the shaft 25 extends from one end frame 1 to the other and has on each end of it a lever 24 and the link 25 and lever 27 and the actuator 19 is also duplicated 011 the other end frame.

The delivery end of each portion 3 of the track is connected with the receiving end of the portion 4 of the track by an inclined portion 32 so that as the various display elements pass out of the delivery end of the portion 3 of the track and into the incline portion 32 they are carried off from the projections 12 by such inclined portion. At the upper end of the left hand portion 3 of the track I have provided stop devices 33 in the nature of stop fingers pivoted to the frame 1 at 34 and acted upon by springs 35, said stop devices permitting the projections 5 to pass into' the inclined portion 32 of the track but operating to hold them from moving downwardly after they have passed off from the fingers 12 as seen best in Fig. 4.

Pivoted to the levers 24 and 27 are hook members 30 having noses 31 adapted to engage the projections 5 of each display element as it is delivered from the endless chain 7 such hooks operating to draw the display element into the transfer portion 4 of the track, all as shown in said patent. Since these hook members are mounted on levers 24 and 27 they have an oscillating movement which is so timed that they will take each display element as it is delivered from the chain 7 and pull the element into the horizontal portion 4 of the track asvseen in Fig. 4. During this operation the display element which is engaged by the hook members is forced against the other display elements and thus the whole set of elements is moved forward in the portion 4 of the track a distance equal to the thickness of the display element, this motion carrying the end display element into position to be engaged by the hook 14.

In order that the hook members 30 shall operate properly it is essential that the noses 31 thereof should drop down behind the projections 5 of the display elements before the hook members are moved in the direction to pull the display elements into the portion 4 of the track. The hook members 30 are designed to operate by gravity but to insure that the noses 31 of each hook member will positively engage the projection 5 of the display element which is delivered from each portion 3 of the track, I have provided each hook member 30 with a finger 38 which is adapted to engage a cam surface 39 carried by the frame 1 when the hook members have been moved forwardly into position to engage the display elements that are being delivered from the vertical portion 3 of the track. These cam surfaces 39 and fingers 38 operate to force the noses 31 of the hook members 30 downwardly positively at the end of the forward reciprocatory movement of the hook member and thus make positive the engagement of the hook member with the display member that is being delivered from the vertical portion 3 of the track. I have also provided a stop member at the delivery end of the lower horizontal portion 4 of the track which operates to prevent the display element which has been delivered from said portion 4 of the track into the lower end of the left hand portion 3 of the track in Fig. 2 from passing into the curved portion 17 of the track as said element is raised. This stop device is shown at 40 and is pivoted to the frame at 41 and is acted upon by a suitable spring 42 which normally keeps it against the hub of the hook 14 but permits it to yield to allow the projection 5 of a display element to pass around through the curved portion 17 of the track. When the display element has thus been carried through the curved portion 17 of the track and past the stop member 40 the latter will drop into the position shown in Fig. 2 and thus close the portion 17 of the track so as to prevent the display element from switching ofi into said portion 17 as it is raised by the chain 7. 1

As the display elements pass through the inclined portion 32 of the track there will be more or less friction developed between the projections 5 of the display elements and the walls of the portion 32 of the track and the projections 12 or 13 on the chain. In order to prevent the possibility of any undue friction being developed at this point which would be sufiicient to prevent the projections 5 from sliding off from the carrying projections 12 or 13 on the chain I have provided a construction whereby if any abnormal friction is developed the projections of the chain may be swung into the dotted line position, Fig. 5 thus allowing the projections 5 to readily slip off therefrom as they pass up the inclined portion 32 of the track. I provide for this by mounting each sprocket wheel 8 at the lower left-hand side of the frame in Fig. 2 in a yielding bearing 43 which can give in a vertical direction thereby to slacken the chain 7 at the left-hand side Fig. 2 sufficiently to permit the link carrying the projections 12 or 13 to be swung into an inclined position, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 5 by the pressure of the projection 5 thereagainst. This yielding bearing 43 is shown as provided with a slot 44 in which is received the guiding bolts 45 secured to the frame, said slot permitting a slight vertical movement of the bearing. 46 is a spring for yieldingly holding the bearing and the sprocket wheel in their lowered positions.

In order to prevent the projections 12 or 13 on the chain 7 from dropping the proj ections 5 on the display elements before the latter have been carried past the stop devices 33, I employ a guide 47 in the form of a project-ion or pin which is secured to the frame 1 and against which the chain 7 has bearing. This guide 47 prevents the chain from being swung backwardly or to the left in Figs. 2 and 5 when the projections 12 or 13 are drawn into an inclined position by the resistance of the display elements against the inclined portion 32 of the track.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an advertising device, the combination with a frame having ways and a track presenting a vertical card-displaying portion and a horizontal transfer portion, of display elements movable in said track, means to move said elements through the card-displaying portion of said track, a

shaft journaled in the frame adjacent the delivery end of said transfer portion, a pickoff hook carried by saidshaft, a gear on the shaft, a rack reciprocating in said ways on said frame and meshing with said gear, and means to move said. rack in timed relation to the means by which the display elements are moved through said card-displaying portion. 7

2. In a device of the class-described, the combination with a frame having a track presenting a vertical card-displaying portion and a horizontal transfer portion, of display elements movable in said track, an endless chain to move said elements through the card-displaying portion of the track, a

shaft journaled in the frame adjacent the delivery end of the transfer portion, a pickofi hook on said shaft to take the end dis-' play element from the transfer port-ion and deliver it to the card-displaying portion, a gear on said shaft, a sliding rack on the frame meshing with the gear, a reciprocating hook member 30 to move the display ele ments through the transfer portion of the track, means to operate said hook member, and operative connections between said means and the rack.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a frame having a track presenting two vertical card-displaying portions and two horizontal transfer portions, the delivery end of each card-displaying portion connecting with the receiving end of the transfer portion through an inclined portion, card-displaying elements movable in said tracks, an endless-chain member provided with projections to engage said display elements to move them in the carddisplaying portion of the track, direction pulleys over which said chain passes, one of said pulleys being yieldable in the direction of the length of the card-displaying portion of the track whereby if a display element binds in passing through the inclined portion of the track the chain may give to allow the projection thereon to assume an inclined position, and a guiding member situated adjacent the inclined portion of the track and with which the chain has engagement.

4. In a device of the class described, the

off hooks carried by said shafts for posi- In testimony whereof, I have signed my tively feeding the display elements from name to this specification, in the presence of 10 thedtganslfer portions of the track to the two subscribing Witnesses.

car is aying portions, ears on saici shafts, a common rack meml er having rack WILFRED MA'I HEWSON' teeth engaging both gears, and operative Witnesses:

connections between said rack member and Lows C. SMITH,

one of the hook-carrying levers. THOMAS J. DRUMMOND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. 0. 

